How to travel sustainably and environmentally friendly in 2020? Today, traveling is no longer a luxury that only a few can afford. Today, travel is accessible to just about everyone. And that is precisely why we must be responsible on our travels and behave in accordance with the principles of sustainability.
All world travelers know the most basic sustainable travel tricks: avoid plastic, don't touch coral, act locally, etc. However, if you're serious about helping slow the melting of Greenland's ice sheets or preventing catastrophic forest fires, you need to think a little more thoroughly. And these are the key changes you can incorporate into your travels.
How to travel sustainably and environmentally friendly in 2020?
AVOID USING THE PHONE
Did you know that data storage in the cloud will soon become the main culprit in the production of greenhouse gases? Even bigger than aviation? When you stop to think about this "sobering" information, along with the fact that using phones abroad usually increases their usage and storage due to increased photography and photo sharing, it's worth asking if you could possibly travel without it? If you cannot travel without your phone, at least limit downloads as much as possible, turn off applications, reduce the need for battery power and, above all, focus your attention on the real world around you.
THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU WILL PACK
Don't buy special clothes just for vacation or travels. In the UK alone, as many as 300,000 tonnes of clothing are disposed of every year. Many of these clothes were bought for just one vacation. If you really want to buy something special that you will take with you on your way to explore new lands, consider high-tech pieces, such as adidas x Parley sneakers or Patagonia swimwear, which are made from recycled plastic or fishing nets. These are excellent attempts to tackle plastic pollution systematically.
REDUCE THE WEIGHT OF YOUR LUGGAGE
Thinking about a new suitcase? Today, you can also find very practical and fashionable suitcases from providers who produce in stock with the principles of sustainability and fair trade. One such company is, for example, InCase. Buy items as light as possible, which will suit you due to the baggage weight conditions prescribed by the airlines. And don't forget that for every additional kilogram of your luggage, the plane uses an additional amount of fuel.
It also does try to avoid buying new mini packaging for travel. Instead, pour the product from a larger bottle into a smaller one that you can use multiple times. Choose products that are without chemicals or they are natural. The chemicals in some sunscreens can damage corals and other marine organisms.
CHOOSE YOUR AIRLINE CAREFULLY
Of course, we will reduce the release of harmful emissions the most if we stay at home or if we use other means of travel. But if you already have to fly, try to choose an airline provider wisely. Choose from those who they are trying to improve their ecological reference. Air France–KLM and EasyJet are among those trying to improve the flying situation. Both airlines want to reduce fuel consumption. By adapting the design of the wings, they try to reduce the noise caused by the aircraft, among other things.
TRAVEL BY SHIP…
If you're not pressed for time, go for it a more relaxed, slower but romantic boat trip. Observing the world from the water is very interesting, but above all it is smart and authentic. In Europe, trips along the Danube connecting the European capitals Vienna, Budapest, Prague and Belgrade are well known. Cruise ships, smaller and larger ships, sailboats... the possibilities are endless.
… OR BY TRAIN
Traveling by train is also a good way to reduce the carbon footprint we leave behind on our travels. Today, you can reach almost all European destinations by night or day trains. But if you need additional proof for your decision to travel by train, visit the site ecopassenger.org, where you can check the difference in emissions if you decide to travel, for example, by train instead of by plane.
RESPECT THE ANIMALS
Do not participate in tourist activities such as swimming with dolphins or riding elephants. Studies have shown that stress levels increase significantly in animals that are in frequent contact with humans. When man invades the animal world, he can it disrupts the animals' natural rhythm of eating, breeding or resting. If you would like to experience contact with animals during your trip, choose innovative nature conservation projects where the well-being of animals is truly taken care of. And don't forget that you don't have to take photos with animals. Your profiles on social networks will survive even without posting photos with animals, which in most cases live in captivity and in very poor conditions.
BUYING SOUVENIRS SHOULD BE THOUGHTFUL
What magically lights up in a square in Marrakesh might not be so magically lit when you put this thing in your living room at home. Before you buy a souvenir, think carefully about at least 30 ways you would use this thing. When you buy souvenirs, be careful what you buy local produce from local growers. Even if an object is made from natural materials, it does not mean that the production process was sustainable. A good example is bamboo. It is a natural material, but processing requires a large amount of energy and chemicals. Natural? Yes. Sustainable? No.
CHOOSE DESTINATIONS THAT STRIVE TO REDUCE THE CARBON FOOTPRINT
It is encouraging that more and more countries are trying to achieve the principles of sustainability. You can find these countries on the list of sustainable destinations Sustainable Destinations Top 100. Among them, she was right at the top last year Slovenia, followed by Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Denmark and Barbados. Greek Paros however, it is the first Mediterranean island to achieve complete non-use of plastic. In Italy, in the Trentino region, you can find the first plastic-free ski resort in the world.
